scrounge

I don't blame him one bit for not seeing it in real-time, virtually no one did. Not seeing it on replay, though? Oh, Angel.... http://mlb.si.com/2013/05/08/as-lose-to-indians-after-angel-hernandez-blows-game-tying-hr-call-twice/ (with video at the link, couldn't directly link) here's the video scrounge, ...I'll do it for you http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=26965213&topic_id=11493214&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_26965213&v=3

If you hustle - and maybe the old guys on the board can't or won't - and run out from the behind the plate, you'll be about the same distance to 1B as you are from C, so I'm just not buying the banger argument. Not great for pickoffs but I'm not banging them out unless I'm sure from B/C either so not a material change either. The only real weak spot is steals at 2B. But I'll gladly trade that off for a better view of the fair/foul lines AND how on earth can you call a close play from behind the mound for a play at home? Grounder to F6 and he throws home? You've got no chance from B/C. Hot line drive just inside the fair/foul line? No chance. You mean you'd rather blow those just to get a better view of a steal at 2nd? Bad cost-benefit trade to me.

I must have missed all the posts saying he was in perfect position or that's just the breaks. Did they get deleted or something?

To unilaterally appoint one's self as the arbiter of what rules are necessary and unnecessary and knowingly violate a fairly basic rule is unprofessional and unsupportable, no matter what. And the response was, frankly, cowardly.

I'm less forgiving on inside curves than outside, which I think makes sense based on the actual flight of the ball. Without getting deep into the physics (there is no such thing as 'late break', etc), let's think about the actual flight of the ball. It's a parabola, fancy term for curved arc. So if that pitch is caught and stuck by the catcher right on the inside corner, unless it's a true 12-6 straight up and down curve, it's highly unlikely that pitch went through the strike zone. It almost assuredly went around the plate to get to the catcher. Conversely, I'm more forgiving on outside curves that break away from the batter. Same theory - if the catcher catches it a few inches outside, the actual flight of the ball was through the zone. Same idea just reversed for pitches that start in the middle and break inside, etc. And for those big 12-6, if the catcher catches it near the top of the zone and frames it nice, it still probably crossed the plate high. But as long as it doesn't bounce in the dirt, that lower one probably crossed right in the middle of the zone. If you've got good catchers and good pitchers, use the mitt for additional information, but don't use the mitt solely to make the call.

here we go again

Very poorly worded questions....and not to get too pedantic, but if the Fed umpire manual for 103 says "should", that's not the same as "shall". The former is a suggestion, the latter is an order.

It may or may not have happened, but I don't see how you could have done much better. If you see it, fine, but it's lower on the priority list than the other things you mentioned.

I'm not walking around the office in my uniform... Why? Are you embarrased that people will know you are an Umpire? Nah, I just don't need it, it's prob not that big of a deal. Plus I think I'll take my chances with the parking lot vs. some of these bathrooms. Yuck.

I'm not walking around the office in my uniform...

I have been thinking about the System 7, is it any cooler than the Wilson's? I think it is, by far. With the pre-curved shoulders, I find I don't need to tighten the harness anywhere near as tight as I did with my previous Gold. So you get a looser fit, better ventilation, all without sacrificing any protection at all. To the contrary, it offers more than my Gold did, which left a bottom rib exposed (the reason it's a former CP). I've been thinking of getting some cheap generic Dri-Fit style shirts and cutting them a couple inches below the harness in a modified half-shirt for the really hot days too.

This must be the week of weird partners for me. Against my better judgement, I picked up an allegedly 'varsity' game in our city league earlier in the week. It's horrible baseball, but what can you do? Many of these kids never played before high school, I feel for them...but not enough to do a lot of those games. They generally don't get the best umps and have a hard time filling their games. Anyway, me and my partner walk on the field and a couple of the players say "finally we get some young umps". I'm 44 and my partner was probably about the same. Apparently they've been getting the 70 yr and up crowd. My partner started chatting with the head coach about war stories of previous umps. I guess the last guy worked from his knee...and never moved. At all. The entire game. I got a little uncomfortable about how long they went on and on about previous umps and tried to change the subject, but they kept at it for a while. Finally we got the game going. It was horrid but the kids were trying. So, back to the topic, between innings my partner would go sit with the coaches on one of their spare buckets in their extended dugout. How courteous of them to provide an extra! But that really wasn't too bad I guess. The thing that really tripped me out was he would break out a bag of sunflower seeds and pop some in his mouth. That's no big deal, right? Oh yea, it was BETWEEN BATTERS while he was in B/C position! He was a friendly guy and mechanically was fairly sound. But I admit I hadn't seen this one before.

He's no longer in a coma. He's died. All over a yellow card.

Today was quite an educational day today for me, I learned a quite a few techniques from my partner in a JV doubleheader. For example: When wearing a jacket as base ump, it's ok to to leave it unzipped halfway Go ahead and keep your hands in your pockets while in B/C, it shows you're relaxed Brush off the pitchers plate at every half inning (you DID bring your brush, right?) It's important to chat with the 1B coach and develop a joking, friendly relationship There's no need to pivot on hits to the outfield....ever. Just stay outside and follow the runner. If in B/C and there's a trouble ball in the vee, by all means go out and cross the basepath - even if you get in the way of a runner From the 2nd half of the double header, I learned other important tips: The ball is dead on a 4 ball walk. Unless it's a passed ball, in which case it's live. (Luckily, this one was learned in pre-game 'discussion', not the hard way) Make sure to carry your rule book in your ball bag (and not just the little regular one, the larger 4x6 Rules By Topic book) No need to take your mask off between inning, it projects an image of seriousness On those rare occasions in which you must take your mask off, remember - the hat and mask are one unit and are always removed together If the catcher has a passed ball to the deep backstop with no one on, no need to give him a ball - make that kid chase it The strike zone is a wide isoceles triangle - that shin high outside pitch is a strike but that belt high pitch on the corner? Meh... It's best to call the strike just an instant before the ball hits the catchers' glove - it projects decisiveness Ah, good times.

There's no question that he intentionally stepped out with both feet....but how do you know it was for purposes for inducing a balk? That would be a tough one to try to support in a post game report. Not that I don't believe you - he probably was. But maybe he'd say - reasonably - that he wanted time or got spooked or had second thoughts or just flaked out. Maybe you could kill it if there was a balk - but since he delivered it, I think all you've got is an 0-1 count (maybe even 0-2) for stepping out of the box but made moot by a run scoring on the wild pitch.

central NJ has been on quite a roll lately!

One time I had a LL majors game and I was hearing some chirping from the stands about strikes and balls. My youngest son, who was probably 7 at the time was at the game. In between innings he came to the backstop and was talking to me about something and a coach asked if that was my son and I said yes. After that I didn't hear another word from anyone there. They found out I was a real person. Ah, yes, the young child defilade! I've used it myself a couple times to similar effect.

I use a very special and effective mud, unique to every field actually. Whatever I'm standing on.

Is there any dispute that these are jewelry? If you don't see it, you don't see it. But if you choose not to see it....well, you saw it. You're just ignoring it.

Hadn't had the 2 strike ring up happen in a while, but did have the routine strike 3 call just last night. Just called a normal strike looking, batter looked at me and said "that's three, right?". Uh....yea, sure is.

Another reason to never use a bucket. I'm about 50/50 with mask and helmet and have never once used both hands for either. Can't say I've ever seen anyone else do it either.

Enjoy doing this for 3 days at a tournament? 95 or 40 Deg F. Rain delays. All about respect. More about self-righteous posturing in my opinion, but whatever. Plus how many games are you doing in a day that you need a trailer? Maybe you're doing too many games.

I don't see any disrespect or understand the outrageous outrage over dressing in the parking lot. Frankly, I'd rather do that than dress in some nasty fieldhouse bathroom without a bottle of Purell for my feet. Many school fields aren't right next to the school, I don't want to have to lug all my stuff out of my car to the dressing room, and with games here generally at 5 pm, I'm not leaving any earlier than 4 pm from work so I often can't take the time to take stuff and change in some room even if available. It's just not that big of a deal. Park next to another car (partner if possible), open both doors to make a makeshift changing room, move fast and change between the doors. Or put your pants on at work before you leave if you're so deathly afraid of the indignation of being pantsless in the parking lot. What a non-issue.

I respect others' opinions but "sore for a few minutes" from a routine foul ball? Disqualifying to me, not when I don't feel sore from my All-Star and often didn't even feel it with my previous Gold (which would still be in service if it were 2 inches longer). To each their own...

"That's not borderline at all".... ....said right as their own replay and pitch tracker shows the pitch RIGHT ON THE BORDER. Still, I'm not sure Hallion needed to go up that line and stare him down.